Fishing license USA
Texas fishing license for visitors
Texas has a one-day all-water license for visitors and yearly packages for freshwater, saltwater or both.
Checked on 15.10.2026 against the official agency website. Not legal advice.
What a non-resident license costs
- One day, all waters
- $16
- Freshwater package (to 31 August)
- $58
- Saltwater package (to 31 August)
- $63
- All-water package (to 31 August)
- $68
Good to know
- The one-day license covers the red drum and spotted seatrout tag without extra cost.
Sea fishing: state and federal waters
At sea the US has two layers: state waters usually reach 3 nautical miles from the coast, off Texas, Florida's Gulf coast and Puerto Rico 9 nautical miles. Beyond that, federal waters begin, with extra federal rules on seasons and bag limits. You buy your saltwater license from the state. For tuna and billfish in the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico (called Gulf of America by U.S. federal agencies), the boat also needs a federal HMS permit.
Bag limits, sizes and seasons
Rules on how many fish you may keep, minimum sizes and closed seasons change often. Check the current regulations at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) before you go.
Other states
All 50 states: official license pages
Source: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), retrieved 15.10.2026.
Not legal advice. Rules and prices change; the linked authority and the local water permit are what count. Found a mistake? Write to [email protected].
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